bowhuntermn

i'm lookin at getting a new rifle specifically for medium size game such as deer and antelope. i dont know which model gun yet but for the caliber i was thinking along the lines of .243, .257 roberts, 25-06, or 7mm-08. i have a .300 so that area is pretty much covered. i'd appreciate any suggestions, opinions, and experiences you've had with rifles and calibers.
thank you,
joe

akbound

Hi bowhuntermn,

Another cartridge to consider to add to your confusion...the .260 Remington. It is an extremely balanced cartridge, recoil is only a fraction more the .243 Win., and it comes in factory loads as heavy as 140 grains. (Can be handloaded even heavier.) And like the .243 Win. and the 7mm-08 it is a true short action cartridge. Is available in many nice rifles.

Good luck with your decision!

Kyle3

I would also look into a 6mm. They are real sweet shooters and real flat shooting.

Deer-Slayer22

I would look at a .308 win. It is also a short action that you can find factory loads up to 180-200 gr. range. You can also get light loads. It is a very accurate caliber and works well on medium size game.

frizzellr

Of the ones you mentioned I would choose the 7mm-08 Rem. Great ballistics and flat trajectory with plenty of downrange energy and not much recoil. Means you can spend lots of practice time and not have a sore shoulder. Now for some you didn't mention, the 260 Rem as akbound mentioned is a great little number very similar to the 7mm-08 Rem. Also the 270 Win would be a choice I would consider over the 25-06 Rem anyday.

JagMagMan

Bowhuntermn, I'll second the choices of a 7MM-08 or .260! They are both great deer medicine, with little recoil.
As for the 6MM Rem., with good 100 grain hunting bullets, it is also a good choice for deer sized animals but, unless you reload, you might be better served with the .243 Win.
Ammo is much easier to find for the .243 than it is for the 6MM Rem. and there is not much difference in the ballistics.

James B

All of the above recommendations are excellent. I will add that the 6mm is probably one of the most ignored excellent deer caliber around. Because of a rate of twist miscalculation on Remingtons part the first 6MM from Remington which the dubbed the 244 Remington had a twist that would not stabalize 100 grain pointed bullets. It shot 100 grain round nose very well. Reloaders can achieve about 200 fps more velocity than the 243. Or about that of the new 243 SSM. By the time Remington pulled thier head out of the sand and changed the twist and remamed thier version the 6MM Remington, they had been left in the dust. Its a shame because the 6MM is quite a bit more cartridge than the 243 Win. With factory loads thier performance is close to equal but for reloaders the 6MM is a very good deer cartridge.

PABuck_HNTR

7mm08

Drilling-Man

I've shot maybe 20 or more whitetails and one blk bear with a .243, and i always figured that it was on the light side. Handloading 100 grain Nosler partitions helped a lot, but why? when there's better choises!!

I'd take the 7-08 and run!!!

Mykey

25.06 Rem